Who could resist a face like this...

 I was strolling through the archives and just couldn't resist this.  He was such a character.  

I sure enjoy reading the answers to my questions.  I enjoy reading the answers to other people's questions, too.  Almost any time anyone asks questions on their blog, I will read everyone's answers.  I try to answer, but if I am on the phone, it will normally be a shorter answer.

I broke down and started a puzzle...at least I have been picking out the orange pieces...there is a LOT of orange.  I did that yesterday afternoon.  Today I have basically only glanced at it.  

I have been working on the circles on the quilt.  around the edge I have half circles to do.  I finally gave in and and counted.  I don't have near as many to do as I thought.  There are 24 full cirlces and 14 half circles.  All I have left to do is one full circle and 4 half circles.  There will still be more quilting to fill in the open spaces but I have not decided how to quilt them.  I am thinking I will go back up in a few minutes.

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I forgot to tell a Copper tale...honest to goodness I am not making this up.  At one side of the patio are these evergreen trees...something with needles.  Well, between them and the patio there were just a very few weeds.   And then some thistle at one end...small thistle, not the big stuff I love.  

Anyway, I decided to pull them up again, and of course here he came to see what I was doing.  He started with the grass, and I pushed him and told him to stop...he likes to eat grass and then throw up. He stood and watched what I was doing. I am bending over him...my face is right beside his face.  

You can tell by his ears and just his expression when he is thinking.  He left the grass alone and started grabbing this other weed and jerking it... I pushed him on through cause who knows what is poisonous?  I will say he was spitting them out.  He went on and came behind me and there is this other thing, he started chewing and pulling on it.  It is basically dead...I said 'Copper!'  And he just looks at me and the last thing I had to pull was I don't know what. I thought a vine but it was growing straight up.  (Are you ever tempted to leave something alone to see what it does? I was in this case.) Anyway, he snatched the top of it and pulled the top leaves off.  I send my daughter a text and asked if she knew he was a gardener?

Former draft

I did not know what to post here tonight...I could not think if I had taken any snapshots or not.  I thought I will see what is in the drafts and found this.  I have missed being where I could see these blooms.  I just simply love them.

I did vacuum today. How many times do you vacuum a week?  I don't know if this is good or bad or if I should be embarrassed to admit it, but I only vacuum once now that we just have Copper.  When we had both him and Delta, I had to vacuum at least twice.  And now with my cordless, it will be easier if I have to vacuum up something in the kitchen.  You know how you sometimes drop something or spill something.  I hated dragging out the big vacuum for that.  Not that I did it often.  

I did some laundry and I just came down from working on my quilt a few minutes ago.  I think I did 4 or 5 circles and a half circle....there will be half circles along the edge.  I cannot think how many I have done.  I did not go up at all yesterday.

Sarah and Lorelei came by for a little bit....Lorelei had been to eye dr for new contacts....so they stopped by here on the way home.

That is about all I can think of right now...I still have not opened another puzzle but it is getting harder to resist.  LOL

Quilting has begun...

  This area is only partially quilted.  I will fill in in the orange areas and the surrounding area with more quilting.  

This is the back...I have been afraid to count how many circles I will have to quilt just to get that part done.  It is slow going.  But I am so glad to have begun.  

**************                                                                                                             I did a run to Walmart today.  I should try pick-up because by the time I come home and carry everything in I am wiped out.  But I feel like the walking is better for in the long run.  So I continue to do my own shopping.  I really don't know how I had so much stuff.

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Daughter told me tonight, when she is done watching TV for the night, she puts her remote on the back of the couch a lot of times.  Now, che is finding that Copper leaves his bone there.

Hopefully the last for a while...

 I am going to try not to start another one...but I have said that before and it didn't last more than two or three days.  I just enjoy them so much.  They are great while way 5 minutes for this or 10 for that..

**************                                                                                                                   I actually got this quit top layered with the backing and batting and pin basted and ready to quilt.  IF I could just make up my mind whether to hand quilt of machine quilt.  And with either one, I have to decide how to quilt...the stitching design I mean.  It is about 54-56 inches square.

Other than that, I have not done very much...a load of laundry, and dishes.  And it was so warm I got to sit outside and read!  And finished my Alaska book.  I started a new book:  I Love You, Miss Huddleston: and other Inappropriate Longings of My Indiana Childhood by Philip Gulley.  I think it will probably be a light, enjoyable read.

Missing opportunities

 Though there is a neighborhood Red-tailed hawk and either a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned hawk we see, they are always in flight.  I miss being where I am in traffic slow enough for me to take photos of ones on power lines.

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Well, I found out that most of you don't sleep through the night either so I don't feel like the lone ranger.  Last night was another where I lay awake a long time.  I would take a Tylenol PM or something, but things like that knock me out and I am worse the next day than I would be with no sleep.

I am still reading Bring Me Wild Roses: An Alaskan Odyssey and still enjoying it.  I just don't read near as much as I used to. I am really enjoying it.  I would have had more read if it would have been warm enough to sit out and enjoy reading.  I put on this 'jacket' I have today and set out and read a bit.  Then Copper wanted to come inside.  

That is about it for tonight...I almost forgot to post.

Photo from the nursery....

 These impatiens were at Eagle Creek Nursery....I would not mind going back again and walking around and just seeing what is happening there now.

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I have not done much more than two cents worth of work.  I would like to know, do you sleep through the night?  I seldom do.  I cannot remember the last time I did.  One time to get up to go to the bathroom is not bad.  But to get up and not be able to go back to sleep really drags me down. Night before last was up twice during the night, but could go back to sleep.  But had a ton of stuff to do yesterday.

Last night I actually laid my kindle down around 11:00, went to sleep fairly easy, but up at 3:17 and then did not go back to sleep till well after 5:00 a.m., then back up soon after 6:00 to give Roger his meds.  I did nap some between then and when I got up to stay right after 8:00...but I was still worn out today.  I am hoping tonight will be better because there is stuff I need to do tomorrow, too.

I so wish you could have seen Copper after I brought him up and let him out and he came back in.  He made me laugh till I cried.  I told my daughter she must have fed him his Wheaties this morn.  He was running here, and there and just wild.  Just for a few minutes.  And he wasn't bad...just hyper.  Then he was calm the rest of the day till his mom got home.

One more puzzle

 One more puzzle done.  Sometimes I wonder if it is really true that puzzles/word games really help generate new brain cells.  If it is, I ought to be a genius.  I love all kinds of puzzles. 

I love the puzzles that you have to figure out how to take apart, then figure how to get them back together.  I have never had very many but they always intrigue me.

************                                                                                                                 I have played and played and piddled upstairs.  You would never know it by looking.  But have rearraned some plastic tote/bins.  Whatever you call the containers by sterlite and rubber made that have lids.  I have been going through and looking at what is in them.  It has been fun touching things.  

We have had shower this afternoon...but not storming.  It gets cloudy and then clears up.  The constant is the wind.  It never stops.

He was our handsome boy...

 Just an old photo of Bubbie...he was handsome and funny...and loved nothing better than to 'talk' us into going outside and sitting on the porch.  You could see the contentment on his face.  He was often ready to go back inside before I was.  

*****************                                                                                                             I got a request to show a pic of the new vacuum...here it is.  I have not taken the time to photograph it.  It is a dyson Cyclone V10 animal                                                                                           

*****

I am watching Bletchley Circle, San Francisco...has anyone else watched Bletchley Circle or Bletchley Circle, San Francisco.

From the old days...

 I have published this before, but it has been quite a while ago...probably 10 yrs or longer.  I had to hunt for something to post.  Since fall is approaching I thought this fit.                                                                                                                           ******************

Ever since Karen at Life is Good got her cordless vacuum and liked it, I have been thinking about one.  I finally did it.  I got one...not just like hers but a Dyson.  It came yesterday, and I LOVE it.  I got mainly for the hardwood floors part of the downstairs, and also the study and the formal dining room.  Both have carpet but have to vacuum around a lot of stuff.  Not a lot of carpet area to vacuum.

I tell you it is a game changer for me.  I love the thing.  But, I did attempt to vacuum this living room...using the strongest vacuuming setting.  The battery died right before I got done.  But it is a really big living room so I am not too upset.  I had did what amounted to all the other on one charge, and it did fine.  I had wondered if the weight would bother me, it weighs almost 6 lb...but I think it is easier than the upright.  And sure is easier to get into tighter spots.

I know it is early days, and I may change my mind.  But it was quicker and easier to do it.  With the other vacuum, I have to deal with moving the cord 3 times...and it is heavier to push.  Though I will probably still use it on the living room.

Another photo from my granddaughter...

 I am not sure what the smudge is on this shot, but I still love the shot.  It is one from their vacation.

I had one of my regular chores this morn, and then did some laundry...took care of the boy.  (Copper in case you didn't guess.)  If he were a girl, he would be named Joy.  He either finds joy in almost everything, or gives me joy.  I cannot describe the things he does, but I have laughed more at him than at any dog ever.

The only animal that ever came close was Bubbie...we called him our clown.  I have been missing him a lot here lately.  He was all about my daughter and my husband until his leg was broke and he had to have surgery to put the pin in his leg.  I took care of him through that, and from then on I was not just the person that fed him, but also a person he loved.

I need to get to bed...maybe I will forego reading tonight...but I am not sure.  I sure enjoy reading a little bit each night.

what to post....

 

The one and only zinnia that survived was this pink one.  My daughter planted seeds, they came up, but almost as soon as they came up, they disappeared.  We have no idea what was taking them.  There would be several of them, the next time we looked...they were gone.  Then there would be a few more, and they would just disappear.  However this one survived.  The plant is laying over on its side.  We have no idea how that happened either.  But it continues to bloom.

She planted marigold seed in pots and I think every one of them survived.  She has been saving seeds.                                                                                                   *************                                                                                                              I made Tomato,Garlic, Basil chicken tonight.  It had been a long time since I made it.  

This is the seasoning that I use.  I am not even sure what the directions are on the packet.  We use skinless, boneless chicken thighs.  The girls started making it first, but neither of them make it now for different reasons.  Anyway, when I make it, I put the thighs in the pan on med heat on each side for 10 minutes.  

Next I have say a cup and a half of water, maybe a bit more and mix the packet in it and pour over the chicken, turn the heat down to a bit below medium heat, put a lid on and continue cooking for 40 minutes.  I turn the chicken every 10 minutes.  I don't know if it is necessary, but I just do it.   Sometimes I have to add a bit of water but most times no.  It is easy and delicious with rice, and serve with your favorite vegetable.

Other than that I have 'piddled' upstairs more...not actually sewing but looking in all my sewing stuff.  Re-arranging a bit of it.  I was up there maybe an hour and hardly got a thing accomplished, other than finding things I had forgotten about.

I had hesitated to use the word piddled...thinking no one else on here had probably ever heard it.  But Mary of Hilltop Post asked me when I said fooled around upstairs if I meant piddlin' with my sewing.  And I told her yes.  She said her mom always said she was piddlin' with her sewing.  I think I got that from my mom, too, but am not sure. 

I hope to get up there and piddle some more before the night is out.

From today

 I worked yesterday in order to have today semi-free.  But got a text that Roger's glasses were ready to be picked up.  It is maybe a 15 minute drive to get them.  So, on the way home, I stopped at Good Will.  I seen a book I should have got for my daughter.  Actually there were two by the same author, and I did not know if she had either one, so took a pic.  

I knew she was busy at work so did not want to text and ask...so she had one of them but not the other.  I also looked around a bit and saw this tea-cup.   I do not know why I did not look at the bottom.  But I thought of Granny Marigold.  She has a big collection of teacups and they are beautiful.  So I always think of her.

It did have a bad chip on the other side.  So even if I thought I had room to collect something else, I don't think I would have gotten it.

It has been a nice day today.  I did get to sit outside and read a little bit late this afternoon.  Next I am heading upstairs to fool around a bit.

Peek-a-boo!

 Not the greatest lighting...and these are just a small cropped portion of the original photos.

Both were taken with my phone.  It finally ran when I got up to come inside.  I should go out there with my good camera.

************                                                                                                                 I got my hair cut today...I always feel so much better when it is done.  I just dread making the appts so bad.  I am lucky in that I can usually call and get in in the same day or the next day.  

Does anyone else have a lot of cardboard?  I get so many things in shipments...that every so often I have a pile of it.  If there was an easy way to recyle it I would, but it is not that easy.  And we don't have a lot all the time.  Anyway, I broke down my latest boxes.  It was hot in the garage when I was doing that.

And I have did a load of laundry...that has been my chores today in addition to the usual Mcdonald's run for Roger and fixing his meals and snacks.  Now it is time to give meds.  Never a dull moment in this house.

Puzzle

 I wish I had thought and taken a photo of all the puzzles I have finished the past few months.  I bet I have worked more since Christmas than I had worked the previous 10 years put together.  I usually only worked 2 or 3 a year, usually in the winter.  

I did back up my blog today...the first time in years and years.  I just wish I had started labeling it when I first started it.  But still there is the search function.  

I have did very little this day...I am heading upstairs just in a few minutes till it is time to give meds.  I did sit outside a good while and finished a book, Alaska Wilderness Adventure.  It was not a 5 star book, but still not bad.  

Little bottle

 When we were moving, this is one of the little bottles I had packed away...Lorelei chose to keep it                                                                                                              **************

I have not accomplished much today, but I did go up and clean up a big part of my sewing mess.  When I make crumb blocks I have all those bits and pieces of fabric laying on my table and in containers beside me.  It is quite the chore to clean them up.  I would hate to count how many crumb blocks I have made.

And as for the little boxed squares, I have 620 made, and need 624 for the quilt top...plus I may yet make a few extra.  But I may put those aside for the time being.  I still want to go up there and do something to try to get better organized but I just have not come up with the solution.

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I saw a video I wanted to share, but it was one of those shorts and I have found no way to embed one of those.

So instead I will post this one...not sure how many of you will recognize the songs, but I am sure a couple of you will get a laugh of of them.